The Devil in the White City
Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America
Ratings2
Average rating5
A captivating look into the United States' late nineteenth century, the Chicago Fair and its influence on the future of architecture, spiced with the history of America's first mass-murderer. I couldn't stop listening, and let a lot of other books languish to get to the end of this one.
I loved this book!
I knew of H. H. Holmes already from documentaries and podcasts, but this couches that horror in a broader context of the Chicago World's Fair and the cultural climate at the time. Be warned that Holmes is not the main focus if that's the hook for you, but rather the Fair is the foundation of this book. Larson unfolds these events with fastidious detail, wry humor and subtle yet affecting expressiveness. I was left at the end with a sense of wonder and sadness which I think is quite the feat.